Friday

If you travel to Cajun country, you’ll find menus with “Acadian” items, such as Acadian Peppered Shrimp. Click inside for the recipe and other Acadian favorites.

If you travel to Cajun country, you’ll find menus with “Acadian” items, such as Acadian Peppered Shrimp. Let me make a long story short.

Acadians were French people who established a colony near Nova Scotia. When the British conquered Canada, the Acadians fled to New Orleans, a French-friendly city. You bet they brought their cuisine with them.

You will see Acadian flags down there, the French tri-color with a yellow star in the corner –– tourists often mistake it for the Texas state flag. There’s a lot of pride here, and ethnic customs are closely guarded.

That’s lucky for us. Acadian cooking combines the best of French with the best of the bayou, resulting in highly flavored recipes that most folks crave. Its synonym is Cajun, so any dish with “Acadian” in the name is actually Louisiana Creole.

Creole? That’s French cooking adapted by Americans, including the Acadians. We’re talking lots of hot stuff like peppers and spices in thick gravies on rice, especially seafood. That’s the reputation.

Still, some of the best Acadian recipes are on the bland side, closer to the French. Rappie Pie is one. It’s basically a potato casserole in chicken, pork or seafood broth, layered with onions. Its roots are in Nova Scotia, and it is still popular there.

Acadian Plogues are a Louisiana take on French crepes. They are hearty with buckwheat flour. In an unusual twist, they are grilled on only one side until bubbled and firm.

Note: Cajuns always cook shrimp in the shell. They say this produces the best flavor.

The easiest way to get on the wrong side of Acadians is to call them “Arcadians.” That would make them residents of the Greek region of Peloponnese. Not even close.

Peel and quarter potatoes. Medium-grate them and place in a cheesecloth bag. Squeeze the bag to remove as much water as possible, which removes the starch. Boil the broth and add potatoes, and mix to combine. Cook for 10 minutes.

Fry half of the bacon in a skillet. Blend with half of the potatoes and spoon into a flat, oiled baking dish. Top with the remaining bacon and the savory, and spoon the rest of the potatoes on top. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for about 90 minutes or until the top browns.